A Cardcaptor's Carol
by Trmpetplaya1
Summary: Konnichiwa minna-san! It's me again! I've decided to write this in honor of the hoildays and no school!! YEA!!! ^_~ I hope you enjoy it, I've never done one quite like this before...^_^


A Cardcaptor's Carol

Hey, Trmpetplaya1 here! I got this major brainstorm to write something in honor of the holidays, so here it is!! Gomen if it's already been done (I don't think so, but I've been grounded from my computer so…I don't know) but I think y'all will like it! Oh, and I'm gonna take a break for my To Leave Me… series, finals have got my brain warped (only two more tomorrow! YESSSS!!!!!!!) but I'll probably pick it up after Christmas, I don't know. Oh well, enough about me, lets read!! ^_~

"…" talking (OK, it's the holidays, I'll give ya a break, this time…)

^^^^^^ scene changes

_Italics_thinking

DISCLAIMER: I don't own CCS, or A Christmas Carol, by some old dead guy who was an AWESOME writer, or _anything_ for that matter (the playa don't got no dough! ^_~)

"Stupid lock…" Li Meiling struggled with the front door to her business, "Aha!" She had finally opened the door. She hung up her coat on the handsome coat rack and began the long walk to her desk at the end of the hall.

"Good morning, Li-san…How are you today Li-san?…Having a nice holiday?" these, and many more nice, yet almost forcedly so, comments followed her down the hall, as her inferiors wished their cold boss a good, Christmas Eve morning.

She, as always, ignored these comments, and let out a sigh as she closed the door to her private office.

"Holidays, humph (gomen, but I can't see her saying 'bah humbug', I just can't…)" she grumbled, "who needs 'em?"

She settled down at her desk and began the day's work…

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Knock, knock.

Someone was at her office door.She let out another sigh, and 'humph' and then got up to go answer it.

"Hello, cousin Meiling! How are you today?" asked a lady of her late twenties, her bright green eyes shining, and brown hair glistening.

"Fine," Meiling replied coldly, "what are _you_ doing here, Sakura?"

"Well, Syaoran forgot his lunch today, so I thought I'd bring it on up. And then I remembered that I had a present for you, so I brought that up, too. Merry Christmas!" She said brightly, and handed her a beautifully wrapped package.

"Arigatou," grumbled the other, who looked about ready to trash the gift, "if that's all…"

"Oh yes, I'll be going now."

Meiling shut the door, but was stopped by a slender hand. She rolled her eyes, "What _now_?"

"Well, err…" beautiful smile fading a bit, "Umm, well, you see, with the holidays and all, things have been, well, tight, financially, and I was wondering if, uh, you could give Syaoran a raise?"

Meiling's cold look faded for just a second as she thought about this request, but was quickly replaced again, "I'll see," came her reply.

"Oh, Arigatou, Meiling-san! And Merry Christmas!" she smiled brightly as the door was slammed in her face.

On the other side of the door, a certain black-haired women was looking very ticked at herself.

"No good woman!" she said under her breath, "stealing Syaoran away from me! And she's not even my cousin!" she muttered, remembering the greeting.

Once again, she became absorbed in her work…

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

It was 10 'o clock when Li Meiling finally left her office.There had been a lot of extra work over the holidays, and it hadn't helped that every hour or so, another employee of hers would come in, stuttering for a raise. _If this keeps up, I'm going to go broke_she thought to herself as she locked to door.

With one last look at the skyscraper that she owned, with her millions of yen, she quickly hopped into her BMW.

She cranked up the heater, (_Baka cold, Japanese weather…_) and turned on the radio to see if any good songs were on.

"We wish you a merry Christmas, we…" the radio sang, before she hastily changed it, _Humph, nothing on but genki American Christmas songs! I don't believe it!_ After searching fruitlessly for at least one station that didn't have Christmas songs on it, she turned off the radio with another 'humph'.

She felt relieved as she pulled into the horse-shoe driveway of her manor.After setting the alarm on her car, she fumbled around for the house key, while walking up the steps.

"Lemme see, office…car…car…boat…motorcycle…it's gotta be here somewhere!" She stopped suddenly as she approached her door.The fancy lion-head door knocker was changing slowly into…

"_LI-SAN?!?_" she exclaimed, as her aunt's face appeared where the knocker was. "But you're, you're…"

"Dead?" supplied the head (OY!!! Me and my rhymes…-_-() ), causing Meiling to drop her keys. She just stood there and stared, mouth wide open.

"Yes, I know," Li-san said (what _is_ her name, anyway?), "I'm back for a short time, to let you know this. Now listen, and listen well, I'm not going to repeat this again," she cleared her throat (if she had one) and began.

"At exactly 11:00 PM, you will be visited by the first of three ghosts: the ghost of Christmas past. They, like the other ghosts, all have a duty to fulfill, of which you will be informed of later. After that, the second will appear at the next bell toll, 11:30, and then a third at 12:00. You are to do whatever they command you, do you understand?"

Meiling nodded silently, mouth still hanging open.

"Good. My job is done. I must go. Wait for the first at 11:00!"

The knocker changed back into a lion, and Meiling just stood there, until the cold finally got to her.She shook her head, and picked up her keys.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

It was 10:45. Meiling was lying in her four-poster bed, thinking about what her aunt, Syaoran's mother, had just said.

_Humph,_ she thought, _I was probably just imagining things. But since when do I imagine? Oh well, it's 10:59 and no sign of that silly old ghost yet, I bet…_

Her thoughts were cut short by the chiming of the clock. 1…2…3…She counted them…9…10…11…the lights suddenly went out, as did the rest of the electricity. Was it just her, or did it get a lot colder? she wondered. She looked around in the dark, as though expecting something.

Suddenly, her window burst open and a beautiful lady floated through, shining wonderfully.

"Hello, Meiling," she greeted the frightened young woman, her voice like soft bells, "my name is Nadeshiko(s/p?) and I am the ghost of Christmas past, the first of three that you'll meet tonight. If you will please, take my hand, and we shall be off." She extended her slender hand and smiled radiantly.

All of a sudden, Meiling found her voice.

"To where?" she asked.

Nadeshiko's laughter pealed softly, "Why, to you past of course! Now, if you please.."

She once again extended her hand.This time, it was met with a shaking grasp.

"Now, let us be off!"

She rose in the air, and dashed out the window suddenly.Meiling felt as though her stomach had been left in her room.

"Uh, Nadeshiko?" she yelled.

"Yes?"

"Can we go a bit, erm, slower?"

The laughter sounded yet again.

"No, gomen, but it is the only way to reach the past! Hang on!"

Meiling obeyed, she didn't have to be told twice!When she got the nerve to look down, she was shocked.They were flying over Tomeda, but it appeared as though 20 years ago.Penguin park was still opened, the skating rink (turned into a gang center in her time) was, too, and so were many other things.

She realized that they were slowing, and they dropped down in front of a familiar looking house.

"Recognize it?" asked Nadeshiko, gently.

"Yes, it's my old place, but why?…"

"Let's go inside."

Meiling followed the ghost _through_ the door, and she was shocked at what she saw…_herself_.

"Yes, that's you," said Nadeshiko, as though reading her mind, "but that's you as a 14 year-old, 24 years ago. Let's see if you remember this…" she pointed toward the younger version of Meiling.

"SYAORA-AN!!" yelled the 14 yr-old, as if on cue, "I've got something for you!!"

A handsome young boy, looking very annoyed, came walking in from the kitchen.

"What _is_ it Meiling? I was just about to take a nap!"

"Gomen," she replied, sounding not sorry at all, "but I just _had_ to show you this! Look!"

She pointed to a page of the scrapbook she was diligently making.On it were a LOT of hearts and cupids, surrounding a picture of Meiling hugging her cousin, who was staring daggers at her.

"Isn't it simply _gorgeous_?!" she gushed, looking to her Syaoran expectantly.

"Yeah, wonderful," he said, rolling his amber brown eyes.

"AWWWW!!! I KNEW you'd love it!!" She hugged him tightly around the waist.

"Sure *gasp* whatever!" he managed to say before she let go of him.

The present day Meiling looked upon the scene longingly, when Nadeshiko snapped her out of her trance.

"Meiling? We must go, there is still much to see."

"Okay, I'm ready."

This time, instead of flying, the scene whirled around them before settling back. This time, however, they were in Penguin Park.

"It is a little closer to our time, now, only 20 years ago. See, here comes you 18 yr-old self, now…"

Meiling looked toward the entrance of the park.Sure enough, a young lady was coming their way, stopping a few feet in front of them, shivering in the winter cold.A few moments later, they heard footsteps behind them.Both Meilings whirled around, smiling.

"Syaoran!"

"Oh, hi Meiling. You wanted to see me?" Syaoran asked nervously.

"Uh, yeah. Eetooo…"

"Hey, gomen to be rude, but could you hurry it up? I have to be somewhere soon."

"Uh, okay," she took a deep breath, "Syaoran? Will you marry me?" (Yeah, I know, arranged marriage and everything, just pretend it didn't happen, K?)

The handsome young man looked rather shocked.

"I, I'm sorry Meiling, but, you see…" he tried to explain without hurting her feelings._Oh, boy. Nice going Syaoran, you baka! I love her like a sister, but…_ he thought, while absentmindedly fingering the velvet box in his pocket.

"I…" he started again.

"Syaoran? Where are you?" he was interrupted by a beautiful voice.

"Over here, Sakura!"

A gorgeous teenager appeared from behind the trees to their left.As she approached, Syaoran's confused look melted like ice, and was replaced with that of pure love and awe.

"Syaoran! Oh, hi Meiling!" she greeted to two, "So, you said that you wanted to ask me something?"

"Uh, yeah," he said, turning bright crimson (I was gonna use 'red', but it would've rhymed!) "uh, Meiling? Do you mind leaving for a few minutes?"

She looked crestfallen. "Sure." She left, but circled back to hide behind a tree.

"Uh, Sakura?"

"Yes, Syaoran?"

"As long as I've known you, I've always wanted to ask you this," Sakura looked surprised and confused as he got down on one knee, "I love you. I love everything about you: your smile, your kind heart, how cute you are when you blush (she blushed darkly at this) and I was wondering if you would make me the happiest man alive," he pulled a red velvet box out of his pocket and opened it, "Will you marry me?"

Sakura gasped at the ring before her.It was a heart shaped diamond surrounded with a spray of sakura blossoms and peony shaped stones, set on a platinum ring.

"Oh _Syaoran!!_ Of course! Yes!" she exclaimed loudly.

He slipped the ring on her slender finger.He then kissed her passionately and twirled her around, laughing.

As the made-for-each-other couple were sharing this happy moment, they were unaware of the tearstained, red eyes watching them. Meiling let out another sob, then fled.

The present-day Meiling was on the verge of tears.

"Why? Why did you show me this?" she asked Nadeshiko.

"Watch," was the reply she got.

Their enviroment swirled around again, and then settled down. They were in Meiling's old house again, but things were different.Everything was black, or extremely dark.Sitting at a gothic table was a 20 yr-old Meiling, working diligently at her work, when a knock sounded at her front door.

"Come in!" she called gruffly, "it's open!"

Syaoran came in, looking very chilled.

"Hey, Meiling. I just wanted to know if you would like to join the family for Thanksgiving dinner at my house tomorrow night?"

She looked at up him from her piles of work.

"I'm _sooo_ sorry, but I have tons of work to do. Too bad."

"Yeah…well, if you ever find any time, my house is always open. You know, little Saki misses her aunt, a lot. Maybe you could…"

"Watch the little brat?! What, are you kidding?!" she exclaimed, angrily.Syaoran backed up a bit.

"N..no! it's just…"

"Please go! I have tons of work to finish!"

Syaoran sighed and left, closing the door gently behind him.

"Humph, baka cousin!" she muttered to his retreating back.Meiling was still furious with him for choosing Sakura over her.It had triggered a sudden obsession with work, the only thing that she could do without thinking about _him_. She sighed again, then began writing.

"Do you see?" asked Nadeshiko, "After you were refused, you became a workaholic, never stopping for anyone or anything."

The scene changed many times, stopping only briefly.As it stopped, you could see Meiling gaining success, until she was on the top, the boss.A last scene of her firing someone was shown, then they were back in her bedroom.The clock on the wall showed that it was 11:25.

"The next spirit will come at 11:30, wait and learn!" Nadeshiko warned before vanishing like a mist.

"Wait! Learn what?!" Meiling asked, but it was too late, she was alone.

"Humph, I should stop eating chocolate before I go to bed. Weird dream," she rationalized.

Meiling began climbing into her bed, grumbling something about suing Hershey's, when the clock chimed 11:30.

"Baka clock!" she said.

"I'll say, you should switch to digital," said a voice.

"Huh? Who said that?" she inquired, looking around fearfully.

"I did," the voice said again.

She looked to her right and there was…

"_Kero?!_ What's a stuffed animal like you doing here?"

"Huh, stuffed animal my paw! Well, if you must know, guarding the Clow book was getting kind've boring, so I looked in the want ads and there was an opening for 'ghost of Christmas Present'. It sounded good, so I took it, and the benefits are awesome!" he snapped his, erm, fingers and the room lit up and was filled to the ceiling with food.

"See?" Kero asked, grabbing an apple pie greedily.

*sweatdrop* "Yeah…listen, are you just going to sit here and eat all night, or are we gonna get this over with? I have 15 people that I need to lay off tomorrow, and 50 pay cuts to make, can you speed it up any?"

Kero stopped eating and looked at her surprised.

"Well well well! _Somebody's_ being a real Scrooge this year!"

"Who's that?"

*sigh* "Never mind. Take my paw, and were off to the, uh, present!"

She reluctantly took the doll-look-a-like's paw and the room swirled.When it stopped, they were in a small house.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"Whoa! You must really be mad at him! This is Syaoran and Sakura's house."

She looked around.The house was small, but the atmosphere was that of love.Pictures covered the mantle, there were fresh peonies on the table, and a fire was burning brightly in the fireplace.

"Syaoran? Dear? Where are you? I need you to help me with something," came Sakura's voice as she came into the living room.

"Just a second, koshii!"

"Okay, I'm in the living room," she appeared to be in the middle of cooking their Christmas dinner for tomorrow: she had on a white apron, and her hands were covered in flour.

"Syaoran? Could you hurry? Tomoyo and Eriol will be over soon."

"I'm coming!" a handsome man entered the room, "Ah, I see you've been busy," he said, noting her apron and hands.

"Yes, and it's been very hard. What, with Meiling cutting back your salary and all…"

"That's ok. We'll manage somehow," he took her chin gently in his hands and looked into her green eyes, "We always have."

She giggled, remembering the one year, right after they had gotten married, where they had had to call upon the cards to build them a house because the had nowhere to go.

"Yes I know, but it's just that Saki and Taiez (I know, I know, sorry Japanese names that I came up with, gomen…) aren't going to have much of a Christmas this year," she looked crestfallen.

"It'll be alright. You know that presents aren't the purpose of Christmas, it's…" he was about to go into detail, but the doorbell rang.As he rose to go get it, Meiling looked slightly disappointed. She had always wondered what Christmas meant.

"Eriol! Tomoyo! Come in!" Syaoran greeted his guests, before leading them into the living room.

"Tomoyo!!" cried Sakura, running to hug her best friend. She had changed out of the apron and washed her hands.

After some chatting about nothing in particular, (you know, the families, jobs, the usual), the subject somehow turned to Meiling.

"Is she still upset at you guys?" asked Eriol.

"I think so," said Syaoran, "I've tried to invite her to our house for dinner, but every time I do, she just refuses."

"Yeah, and when I gave her her Christmas present, she took it and slammed to door in my face!" said Sakura.

The continued on this vein for a while, when an 8 yr-old walked into the room.

"Okaa-san?" she asked sleepily, "Why are Aunt Tomoyo and Uncle Eriol here?"

"Saki! You're supposed to be in bed!" reprimanded Sakura.

'Aunt' Tomoyo laughed, "Aw, come on Sakura, don't be a Meiling! Let her stay up! It's Christmas Eve, of course the dear can't sleep!"

Sakura sighed, but the smiled, "Alright, but not past 12:00, ok?"

"Yea!!! Arigatou, Okaa-san!!!" she jumped onto her father's lap.

"Otou-san?"

"Yes, Saki?" replied Syaoran.

"Is Aunty Meiling a mean old hippopotamus with no social life what so ever?" she asked innocently, much like her mother, and looked at her dad expectantly.

"Well, sweetie," he suppressed a laugh, "I wouldn't go so far as that, but she is a very lonely person."

"Oh. Well, that's what the kids at school say. They say that she kidnaps little girls and hides them in her attic!" she looked very scared at this.

"Now, honey," said Sakura, "Aunt Meiling is not going to kidnap you, or anyone else. Those people are just making stuff up."

"Oh, good! 'Cause I don't wanna be kidnapped!" her seriousness made the adults turn bright red, trying to hold in their laughter.

The subject was turned from Meiling, and the friends enjoyed a nice evening together.

In the shadows, Meiling and Kero, unseen, were watching.Kero looked over at Meiling to see how she was taking this in, but she was wearing her no expression face, and this told him nothing. Sighing, he broke the silence.

"Well? Seen enough?"

"Yeah, I guess so. Just take me home, k?" she said, rather harshly.

Sighing again, the yellow guardian beast snapped his fingers and they were back at her room.

"Well, lets see, I was supposed to say something…" Kero struggled with his memory, then pulled out a little white piece of paper."Ah, yes! Wait and learn! The third and final ghost appears at 12:00! Farewell!"

He disappeared with a small 'pop' and once again, Meiling was alone.She glanced up at her clock, sighing, it was 11:58.

"Humph, stupid stuffed animal! Probably doesn't have a clue what he's talking about…" her incessant muttering was interrupted again, as the clock struck 12.She shivered as her fire was unexpectedly extinguished, and the window flew open.A tall, dark figure approached her. He was wearing a long, black cloak, so she couldn't see his features very well.

"Who are…?" she began, but something in head told her that his name was Yue.Confused, she turned to the figure.He was holding out his hand to her.It was long and gray; not ugly, but certainly not something to be considered beautiful.

From experience, she knew what she was to do.Shivering slightly, she took the hand.

Almost immediately after she touched it, they were transported into the future.When she looked around, she realized they were at an intersection.Meiling turned to Yue, and he lifted his arm slowly to point at it, as if signaling her to watch.

As her eyes turned, a horrifying sight met her eyes.A lady in her late 40's was walking across an intersection, when a very disturbed looking teenager in a black truck yelled out something VERY bad (won't say, there are kids in the audience!) and hit her, then sped away laughing.

Meiling ran over to the woman, who was in a puddle of blood on in the street.As she approached, she finally got a good look at the woman's face, and gasped.It was _her_! Only in her 40's now.The present-day Meiling tried to help her future self, but it was in vain.Everytime she tried to stop the bleeding, her hands went right through, like a ghost's would.She was sobbing uncontrollably now, her future dying in front of her.Meiling look up at Yue who had floated over, emotionless as usual.

"_Why??_," she sobbed, "WHY?!!"

Yue just looked on, with the faintest hint of sadness in his facial expression. After she had calmed down a little, he once again offered his hand.She took it, eager to go anywhere but where she was.

The scene changed again, and this time they were in what appeared to be a graveyard.

"Why have you brought me here?" she asked.

Yue just pointed to the tombstone in front of them, a few yards away.

As they watched, Syaoran and Sakura came walking by, roses in hand.They stopped before the stone. Sakura was crying softly and Syaoran looked saddened.She laid down 11 of the roses, then looked at Syaoran.

"I know that they were all for one person, but, onegai?"

He nodded, although as in disgust, and followed her to the far end of the graveyard. She put down the last rose in a vase that had never been used, and then, with one last look, walked with her love out of the graveyard.

After they had left, Meiling went to where the 11 roses were, and read,

Li Taiez

Cherished son and grandson.

Died at the age of10.

Parents: Li Syaoran and Li Sakura

Meiling looked shocked.This was obviously 20 years into the future, but she couldn't believe that her nephew, 5 now, had died that young.She faintly remembered something her cousin had told her, something about Taiez needing an operation for his leg, or else the cancer would spread to his vital organs.She didn't know the boy very well, but from what she had overheard from Syaoran a few years ago, he was a very sweet little boy, who never complained about his never-ending pain.

After slowly absorbing all of this, she looked to Yue again, and again, he pointed.Meiling saw that it was at the tombstone all by itself, in the corner of the graveyard.It was enormous, but very sad looking, as if no one visited, ever, and it knew.She walked slowly towards it.She gasped.

Li Meiling

Died at 48

She was startled that that was all that was written about her.Surely someone would have cared enough to have more engraved.She circled the stone expectantly, but that was all.Meiling was shocked that no one loved her. Then she remember how her future self had died.She wept.

"That's enough," she said meekly, "I wish to return home now."

Yue nodded and exteneded his hand.She took it and they were back in her room.Yue pointed to the clock on the wall that now said 12:30, and she understood, though she wasn't sure how, that she had till morning to change, or else all that she had seen would happen.Meiling looked up at Yue to say something, but he had disappeared through the window.

"What am I to do?" she asked no one, "Change? But how?"

Meiling thought for a minute, then knew exactly what she had to do.She rose from the floor, wiped her eyes, and picked up the phone…

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I was 1:00 in the morning when the phone rang at the Li residence. Syaoran groaned and picked it up.

"Moshi moshi," he said groggily.

"Hey, cousin!" came the reply.He jerked awake at the voice that cheerily greeted him.It was, but no it couldn't be…

"_Meiling_?!?" he said, wide awake.

"Yup! How's my favorite cousin and his lovely wife?"

Syaoran was shocked. Favorite cousin? Where was all this coming from?

"Uh, fine, I guess. Why are you calling? And at 1 in the morning?"

"Well, I just wanted to invite you over to my house for lunch, today. What do you say?"

"Just a sec," he put the phone on the light stand, "Sakura?"

"Hmmm…." She said sleepily.

"Meiling's on the line, she wants to know if we can come for lunch, what do you think?"

"That's nice…MEILING?! Wow! I thought she disowned us or something! Of course we're going! Wow, this is gonna be so cool!" she said, sitting up in bed.

"Ok, koshii," he said with a hint of laughter, "Meiling?"

"Hai?"

"We'd love to."

"Awesome! See you at 12!" she said, hanging up.

Syaoran just stared at the receiver. _What got into her? Oh, well, who cares, my cousin's back_ he thought with a smile.

^^^^^^^^^^^

Meiling had just finished setting the table when the doorbell rang. She went to open it.

"Konnichiwa!" she greeted the delivery man, startling him.In all the time he had worked for her, he had never heard her happy before.

"Ko…konnichiwa! Li-san," he said, "Here are your orders. Would you like me to bring them inside for you?"

"Oh, would you? Arigatou!"

As he was bringing them in, he was shocked yet again.

"Jai-san? Would you and your family like to join me for a Christmas lunch at 12?"

He just looked at her, mouth wide open.Jai tried to talk, but finally settled with a nod.

"Great! See you in a little bit! Ja ne! And Merry Christmas!" she smiled as he left.

She brought the turkey into the kitchen and placed it on a platter.

"Now, how do you arrange this?" she asked staring at all of the extras she had ordered. She shrugged and got to work.

^^^^^^^^^^^^

When 12 o' clock rolled around, the table was beautifully set, candles lit, and her gorgeous turkey in the very center.Meiling stood back, smiling, when the doorbell rang.

"Coming!" she opened the door, "Ohayou! Syaoran and Sakura! And how are my favorite 2nd cousins? Well, aren't you going to come in?" she asked, because they just stood there, mouths wide open at her sudden change of heart.

"Oh! Yes!" said Sakura snapping out of her trance, "Saki? Taiez? Where are your manners? Give your Aunt Meiling a hug."

Taiez was the first to obey, and gave his surprised 2nd cousin as best a hug as one can when on crutches.Saki then followed suit and gave Meiling a hug around her middle.Meiling looked startled, then smiled and hugged back.

As they sat down at the table, the doorbell rang again, and again!It never seemed to stop! Meiling had invited all of her employees, but only a few could make it, if you can call 20 people and their families a few!The table was big enough, and everyone was able to get seat comfortably.When everyone who was supposed to be there was, Meiling stood up and cleared her throat.

"Ahem.Family and friends, you've known me for quite sometime now, and you know my general attitude toward things.I want to apologize to you and if I've hurt you in any way, I'm sorry. Will you find in your hearts to forgive me?"

This time, EVERYONE's mouth was hanging open, from little Taiez to Eriol.Finally, Syaoran broke the silence.

"Of course we forgive you! Why wouldn't we?" all heads nodded vigorously in agreement.

Meiling let out a sigh of relief, and smiled.

"Wow! Arigatou minna-san! You have no idea how much this means to me! Now, who wants turkey?" she said, reaching for the knife.

As they were talking and carrying on merrily, three figures stood in the shadows, unseen by anyone.

"Well," began the short yellow one with wings (guess who?), "I'm glad that work out well, eh, Yue?"

The tall one nodded stiffly, "I suppose so."

"Oh, come on, Yue," laughed Nadeshiko, "it's Christmas, for Kami's sake! Smile, onegai? For us?" Kero and Nadeshiko gave him irresistible puppy dog eyes.With a roll of his eyes, Yue gave what might pass for grin, that only lasted a split second.

"Knew you could do it, O silent one!" said Kero, grinning.

They all took one last look at the happy scene, then vanished without a trace.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Epilouge

After Christmas, Meiling finally learned what the true meaning of the holidays are: that nothing else matters, presents or money, except being with the ones you love, and sharing what you have. She pulled aside Syaoran and Sakura as the others were leaving, and gave them a check for Taiez's surgery, with a little extra for themselves.The thanked her many times over, but she just smiled and told Syaoran to expect a raise soon, then went to say goodbye to her other guests.And they lived happily ever after!

The End

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AN-

Well? Whadda ya think? I like it, and so does Meiling, right?

Meiling-Humph, why did you have to make me so genki, huh?

Trmpetplaya1-Hey! I thought you learned a very important lesson!

Meiling-Yeah, never be in TP1's fic's again!!!

TP1-Hey, if you keep up like this, your heart will shrink, 3 sizes too small. HEY!! That's it! In my next fic you'll be the Grinch! Oh, I love you!!! *gives Meiling a big bear hug*

Meiling-NNNOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! *runs away as fast as possible*

TP1-Hehe, I was just kidding!!

Oh well, I thought it was rather good, if you ask me *audience: we didn't…* Oh *sweatdrop* sorry… Well, Happy Holidays! And have a very Merry Christmas!!

*waves brightly with all of the CCS characters smiling*

Ja ne!!

Trmpetplaya1 (trmpetgrl1@icqmail.com)

S+S4eva!!! ^_~


End file.
